Pope Lectured Trump On Family Separation, But Silent On Priest Child Molestation Report

Pope Francis has added his voice to those criticizing the Trump administration's "zero tolerance" policy that has resulted in the separation of families at the Mexican border.

In a wide-ranging interview with Reuters at his Vatican residence published on Wednesday, World Refugee Day, Francis said he supported the statements made by US Catholic bishops who called the separation of children from their parents "immoral" and "contrary to our Catholic values."

"I am on the side of the Bishops' Conference," Francis told Reuters, referring to those statements. "It's not easy, but populism is not the solution," he added.

In July, Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro wrote a personal letter to Pope Francis, warning him that "a comprehensive investigation" by his office had found "widespread sexual abuse of children and a systemic coverup by leaders of the Catholic Church."

Shapiro says he never received a response.

The six Pennsylvania dioceses named in the scathing grand jury report received copies of the 800-page document in May, according to Crux News. [...]

"We have no comment at this time," Paloma Ovejero, deputy director of the Vatican's press office, said on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Vatican again declined to comment.